Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Kitchen, an agricultural labourer, born 1856 in Ropsley, Lincolnshire and his wife Emily Kitchen (nee Watson, married in the 2nd quarter of 1878 in the Grantham, Lincolnshire district), born 1860 in Wilsford, Lincolnshire. James Lewis, a schoolboy, was born in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in Ropsley, his siblings were, John William, a schoolboy, born 1879, Arthur Richard, a schoolboy, born 1881, Fred, a schoolboy, born 1884 and Walter, a schoolboy, born 1886, the latter four siblings were all born in Humby, Lincolnshire, and Amos, born 1891 in Ropsley, in April 1891 the family home was at Chapel Street, Ropsley. In March 1901 James was residing in the family home at 18, Chapel Street, Ropsley together with his father, an agricultural labourer, his mother and siblings, Amos and Clara, born 1896 in Ropsley. In April 1911 James was absent from the family home at Barkestone, Leicestershire, residing there was his father a woodman, his mother and nephew, Wilfred Kitchen, born 1907 in Netherfield, Nottinghamshire, James was serving as a Corporal with the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment and was stationed in Khartoum, Soudan, Egypt.